


Preemptive Measures

by ariphyll



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chocobo Farmer AU, M/M, Prompto has a polaroid camera for actual aesthetic, Slow Burn, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, chocobos are the horses of the ff universe and so racing chocobos get cool racing horse names, listen i know the post in-game is not big enough to be a farm but for this au it is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 14:16:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14334255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariphyll/pseuds/ariphyll
Summary: Gladio was calling the situation "remedial treatment" for Noctis but this just felt like a waste of time. If his father wanted to reassure himself that Noctis could take care of himself, sending him to live on a chocobo farm for six months was the wrong way to do it. Yeah, awkward conversations in a new place with no friends - he was absolutely gonna learn lots of life lessons here, dad. At least the company around him seemed upbeat.





	Preemptive Measures

**Author's Note:**

> Hi fellas here's another hefty wip because apparently one-shots are something I'm no longer capable of! This idea is actually originally [tantrumface's](https://twitter.com/tantrumface/) on twitter, but he was more than happy to let me start writing it out.

Noctis kept his grip firm on the steering wheel, eyes darting from the map on his phone to the road. He could hear Ignis’ voice in the back of his head chiding him for the reckless action but damn it, this was the third time he had gotten lost already. The way Duscae’s country was mapped out was nothing like Insomnia’s roads - all these backway twists and turns were hard for him to catch.

It would be easy if Noctis could actually have Ignis there _with_ him. Navigation was Spec’s thing, not his. When he brought it up to his father before leaving the capital though he refused to budge on the matter. Noctis was to deal with his punishment by himself - said punishment being six months of living at the chocobo post in Duscae. All in an effort to show Noctis’ “the strife of the people”. Or as Gladio liked to put it, the king was aiming for an attitude adjustment.

_“You need to learn how to rely on yourself.”_

Noctis bit the inside of his cheek. If his father was so desperate to make sure he was capable on his own, making him live on a farm for half a year was an awful way to do it. It wasn’t like he asked to have servants at his beck and call his whole life - it was just the kind of life he was born into. Noctis didn't make a habit of shirking his responsibilities either - well, at the very least he never put them off completely. They still got _done_ in the end.

Noctis shook his head. A part of him knew he shouldn’t be complaining that much, but the much larger and more bitter part was frustrated at being uprooted from his own home for this. He could rely on himself perfectly fine! Glancing down at his phone, Noctis slammed on the breaks of his car, swearing as he realized he had drove past his turn while lost in thought. Alright, maybe he wasn’t the best navigator but he was still _capable_ when it came to everything else.

He didn’t need to be sent to a chocobo farm and “experience” life outside the citadel, that was for sure. Noctis was well aware that as a prince he had a good life - he spent far too much time trying to get people to see him beyond his title to think otherwise. The thought of scoring money or stability from him tempted too many people and it grew tiring. That didn’t mean Noctis wanted to drop his life for half a year for _this_.

Sure, at least seeing the chocobos would be fun at first. It wasn’t the birds he had a problem with, or even really the fact he’d be doing a lot of labor. His biggest problem with the situation was having to live with complete _strangers_ for months on end.

Groaning, Noctis flipped a u-turn, scanning the side of the road for the turn off. He caught sight of a dirt trail veering off deeper into the forest and let out a small sigh of relief. Tossing his phone into the passenger seat as he turned, he put his full focus on the road. After several hours in the car he was finally in the home stretch.

Noctis noticed the sign poking out from between the trees before he actually saw the place. _Wiz Chocobo Post_ was written in flaking paint, the sign pointing down the dirt path. A few more yards down and he saw the farm start to peek into view. Noctis had seen photos of what it would look like but it felt a little different in person. The photos hadn’t fully captured the outdated, rustic look of the place as he pulled up to the side of the road.

Sighing, Noctis leaned back in his seat. He still couldn’t believe his father hadn’t caved to his wishes and let Noctis not go. It was rare that he would try to squirm out of a punishment but sometimes he couldn’t help it. Usually after enough begging and pleading he could avoid the worst of it but his luck had ran out for once.

  _“A king needs to be steadfast in all areas of life.”_  

Noctis rolled his eyes. If only his father hadn’t heard of how his attempts at living in his own apartment went at first. The freedom was nice but he hadn’t been aware of how detailed the reports finding their way to his father were. Thinking back on it, Noctis knew it was mostly his fault - he shouldn’t have doubted that Ignis would give anything less than perfect to his father.

It wasn’t until shortly after moving back to the citadel that Noctis had been pulled aside, chided like he was still six instead of edging on twenty. He supposed his curt responses to his father hadn’t helped the situation but he never thought his father would be bold enough to send Noctis _away_.

Noctis opened the car door and stepped out, grimacing at the humidity. He could already feel his skin starting to grow sticky as he shut the door and made his way over to the main part of the outpost. Insomnia got bad during the summer but it was barely spring - Duscae seemed like it was gonna be a whole other beast. There was a soft breeze but it was warm, carrying the sharp smell of grass and dirt and _chocobos_ over to him. 

The post looked deserted for the most part at least, if only for the moment. There was a truck parked closer to the main building, but the only person he could see was an older man wiping down tables littered around the courtyard. The man glanced up as Noctis approached and paused after a quick double-take. Standing upright he walked over to meet Noctis half way with a friendly wave of his hand.

“Hey there! I reckon you’re the prince that was heading our way?” he asked.

“Uh- yeah,” Noctis said, rubbing the back of his neck. He pushed down the urge to shove his hands into his pockets. “Prince Noctis.”

The man huffed a laugh, extending his hand for a handshake. “Nice to meet ya. I’m Wiz, owner of this here chocobo post.”

“Right, nice to meet you,” Noctis said. He grabbed Wiz’s hand but his fingers felt almost crushed by the strength of his grip. He tried to keep a pained grimace off his face.

Wiz laughed again. “You’re from the city I can tell that. A weak handshake for a weak prince I suppose.”

Noctis huffed, feeling a little affronted at that. “Hey-”

“I’m just kidding around, boy.” Wiz waved him off. “Besides, that’ll change in time here. You’ll be golden in no time.”

“...Right,” Noctis said. He ran a hand through his hair, toying with the edges. “Sounds… like a plan.”

Wiz tossed his rag down onto the table. “Well come on then, let’s go grab your things and I’ll show you inside.”

Noctis nodded before following Wiz back to his car, fumbling with his keys for a moment before triggering the trunk open. He hadn’t brought a crazy amount with him, it wasn’t like he was planning on _staying_ out here forever. He was already itching to be back home. This wouldn’t be so awful had his father just let him bring Ignis or even Gladio along with him. To have someone to smooth over the awkward pauses in conversation that Noctis still didn’t know how to traverse with ease.

Wiz grabbed a few of Noctis’ carry-on bags before stepping back from the trunk, letting Noctis move in to grab the rest. The air felt amicable but Noctis wasn’t sure if he should be making small talk or not. He had heard people were much friendlier outside Insomnia, but how much of city rumors were even true? Noctis bit the inside of his cheek, maneuvering his bags in his hands to slam the trunk closed.

Oh, this was gonna be a fun six months.

“Try to avoid using the store front entrance during the day,” Wiz said as they walked back up. “It gets crowded enough as it is in there, we don’t need more people ducking in and out. There’s a door round back that is easier to use.”

Noctis looked around the post, watching some penned up chocobos eating from food baskets. At least the place didn’t seem large enough for him to have trouble navigating it. It was a tiny silver lining but Noctis would take all the ones he could get.

Wiz led him around the back of the building, pulling open a door that’s hinges creaked as it moved. Stepping inside, the place was… cozy. Noctis toed off his shoes, the hardwood floor chilly underneath his feet. The room wasn’t large by any means - two couches were off to his right with a scuffed coffee table inbetween them, a faded rug decorating the floor. Noctis brushed a hand over the well-worn leather of a couch. Everything felt older but well-loved, different from the pristine contrast of the citadel.

There was a certain _warm_ feeling Noctis got from the house. It wasn’t the kind of warmth that home had, but instead felt thicker and more stilled, the air wrapping around Noctis like a blanket. Yellow light filtered in from the windows and showed off the dust in the air. Unlike the memories that kept the Citadel feeling warm in his mind, this just seemed to be the atmosphere of the place.

Either that, or air conditioning wasn’t as freely used here. Noctis really hoped that wasn’t the case.

“This is the main living room,” Wiz said. “Down that hall to your left is a bathroom and my bedroom, while straight ahead leads to the kitchen and the storefront.” He jerked his head towards some stairs to the right. “Up there is where your room is gonna be.”

“Alright,” Noctis mumbled.

He trailed behind Wiz as they walked up the stairs. Every other step gave a slight creak underneath his weight, a few of them louder than the others. The wallpaper was bland and boring, but Noctis could see some wear and tear at the edges. They came up to a hallway landing and Wiz turned left, fumbling open a door.

“Do whatever you want with the place,” Wiz said. “It was half a guest room half storage, so if you need boxes taken out just ask me.”

Noctis peeked into the room he’d be staying for the next few months. It was, well, small for starters. Not shoebox tiny like Noctis had seen some apartments in Insomnia being like, but a lot less space than what he was used to. Sure enough there were some boxes lining the left wall, and Noctis could see the layers of dust resting on the cardboard. There was a bed on the opposite side though that looked cleaned and ready to go at the very least, even if it didn’t seem the most comfortable.

Noctis dropped his bags on the floor near his bed, letting out a small sigh. He would have to clean up at some point; he could feel dust in his mouth already.

“Now I’m sure you wanna get all settled in,” Wiz said, setting down his luggage. “But let me at least show you around the farm first.”

“Ah, right.” Alright, quick tour, quick dusting, then if he could hope - a well deserved nap. Noctis ran a hand through his hair. “Show me the place then.”

The farm really wasn’t as big as Noctis had originally thought. Wiz showed him the cellar where food for both man and bird was stored, and then a brief overview of all the chocobos themselves. They squawked as they passed and watched Noctis' every move - judging if he was friendly or not. Wiz was going over the general feeding times before he stopped, squinting out into the distance before swearing under his breath.

“Hold on, I think Petunia went up and snuck out from her pen again,” Wiz sighed. “Fella has been learning how to open the lock to her gate. Wait here.”

“Petun-?”

Before Noctis could finish replying Wiz was already gone, jogging down the slope to try and wrangle the escaped chocobo. Noctis hooked his thumbs into his pockets and let his shoulders drop. Yeah, maybe he would clean later - a nap sounded more and more wonderful by the second.

Wiz didn’t seem like a bad guy at least, and he truly didn’t bother with too much royal respect. There could be worse places for Noctis to be at, yeah. He should see the bright side of things, right? Silver linings?

Noctis felt a sharp beak nip at his shoulder, causing him to flinch and jerk back in pain. _Ow._ Alright, nevermind. Noctis huffed, reaching up a hand to rub at the irritated skin as he glared at the chocobo who pecked him. It looked from Noctis down to where a food basket was lying a few feet away, some greens still lying in it.

“Seriously?” Noctis asked. “I’ve been here five minutes and you’re already demanding I get to work?”

He rolled his eyes but there was no way he could say no to pleading chocobo eyes. He leaned down and grabbed a few of the leaves, trying not to flinch as the bird snatched them from his hands the second they were in reach. Noctis felt a loose grin cross his face, raising an eyebrow at it.

“Feel better now?”

The sound of a click and shutter caused Noctis to jump, turning to see a man standing a few paces away from him. An old polaroid camera was strapped around his neck and he had already nabbed the new photo, flapping it off to the side.

Noctis straightened his posture, trying to pretend he wasn’t just talking with a chocobo who had bullied him into feeding it. “Can I help you?”

The man laughed and at least had the audacity to sound sheepish. “Sorry, can’t resist a good sight when I see one. Seeing customers interact with the chocobos is just a perk of the job.”

“Uh huh,” Noctis said, raising a hand to rub at the back of his neck. “Well, I’m not a customer. Opposite, really. I’m uh…” Noctis trailed off. What was he exactly? Employee didn’t sound right and he didn’t need to be told that _prisoner_ was both untrue and a little harsh.

The man’s eyes lit up though as Noctis hesitated, almost starting to bounce on the balls of his feet. “Oh! Oh, are you the prince? I thought Wiz said you were coming tomorrow, wow!”

“Uh… yes?” Noctis said.

The man smiled, broad and genuine, as he reached out his hand for Noctis’. “Name’s Prompto! I work and live here too - it’s great to meet you, your uh. Highness.”

Noctis plastered on the most convincing smile he could manage as he grabbed Prompto’s hand, grateful when his bones weren’t crushed into dust this time around. “Uhm, just Noctis is fine. And uh, likewise.”

“Right, gotcha,” Prompto said, pulling away. Noctis’ felt his eyes drawing to his hair every time he moved. For the amount of product that had to be in it to stick up like that, it certainly had no issues bouncing along with the rest of Prompto’s body. “So, is Wiz showing you around?”

“Yeah, uh,” Noctis turned, scanning the field to where he had ran off to. “A uh, chocobo got loose? He went after it.”

Prompto huffed a short laugh. “Let me guess… Ultimate Petunia again? Tricky bird, she is.”

Noctis raised an eyebrow at that. “Ultimate…?”

“Oh yeah, we’ve been taking care of her for the moment, but she’s one of the finest racing chocobos in Duscae,” Prompto said.

“And her owner named her ‘Ultimate Petunia’?” Noctis asked. He had heard before of racing chocobos having odd names but he had never actually met one.

“Yeah, it’s a cool name, right?” Prompto said, running a hand through his hair. “You'll learn all of them soon enough."

"I'm... sure I will," Noctis said. The sun felt hot on his back as it set into the evening.

Prompto watched him for a moment, a loose smile on his face. "Soo, you’re gonna be here for the next few months, huh?”

Noctis gave a short nod. “Uh, yep.” Wow, time could not move fast enough in his opinion.

“Oh come on, no need for the hesitance!” Prompto said. “I’m sure you’ll end up loving it here. There's no place better than with chocobos, right?”

Well, that was doubtful but Noctis could at least admire Prompto's high spirits. He gave a brisk nod but before he could attempt to continue his awkward half of the conversation, Wiz was jogging back up to them, tethered chocobo in tow.

“Ah, I see you’ve already gone and met Prompto,” Wiz said, huffing as he joined them. “That’s great but I need you to go and lock her back up for me Prompto - and use a padlock this time. It’s getting late and I don’t want her sneaking out at night.”

“Not a problem, sir,” Prompto chirped, taking the reins from Wiz's hand. He flashed Noctis a crooked smile. “See ya later!”

“Uh, yeah,” Noctis mumbled, giving a small wave in return. He glanced at Wiz once he was sure Prompto was out of earshot. “So, who is he exactly?”

“Someone else who stays here,” Wiz said. “Got him as a babe from Insomnia, practically raised him as my own son.”

“Oh,” Noctis said. “He seems… nice.”

Wiz laughed. “Don’t get put off by his enthusiasm, that boy just has a whole lot of zest for life. Now come on, I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Noctis couldn’t deny that food sounded heavenly - all he had eaten for the day was some chips from a convenience store. “That sounds great, thanks.”

“Dinner is probably held later here than you had it back home,” Wiz said, leading him back inside. “We usually work up until the sun goes down.”  
  
Late dinners, early breakfasts. Well, at least Noctis was acquainted with one of those aspects. “So, how early am I expected to get up?”  
  
“I’ll go easy on you the first few days as you adjust and let you get up at eight, but soon you’ll be up at five like the rest of us.”  
  
Noctis struggled not to stare at him. _Five?_ He was going to have to get up at five in the morning every day? Seriously? Noctis knew going into this that he was going to have to make adjustments to his sleep schedule but he forgot how _early_ this kind of place started.  
  
Wiz chuckled. “Don’t panic, like I said, I’ll let you sleep in until eight for a little bit.”  
  
“Right… thanks…” Noctis said. Unless he had other plans, he usually didn’t willingly get out of bed until ten.

“You’re free to head up and sort your things out upstairs. I’ll call you down when dinner is done,” Wiz said.

Noctis made a noise of acknowledgement before making a swift escape up the stairs. He certainly wasn’t gonna say no to a few private moments alone.  

Entering his room, Noctis hesitated before settling on opening a window. There was no way he was doing any sort of cleaning, not when the bed looked all too tempting. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world but as he adjusted on the stiff mattress, it was much better compared standing.

Noctis yawned, rolling onto his back as he pulled his phone out from his pocket. He had one new text from Ignis but from the lack of missed phone calls Noctis presumed he wasn’t thought of as kidnapped or dead yet. At least his driving skills were somewhat trusted.

_‘Did you arrive safely?’_

Noctis’ thumbs hovered over the keyboard, debating for a moment on what to say. _‘Alive and in one piece.’_ He squeezed his eyes shut as he hit send, letting his phone drop onto his chest. He had to grow used to this place eventually, right? Give it enough time and everything had to feel somewhat normal at some point.

Six months. Just six months and then he could go back home - who knows, maybe this would even turn out to be a _good_ thing and not a complete waste of Noctis’ time.

Yeah right. As if.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [tumblr](https://ariphyll.tumblr.com/) or for a more noisy, personal touch follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ariphyll/)!


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